How To Setup Laptop as Hotspot

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WiFi HotSpot Creator
This program is probably the easiest that you’ll find working for Windows 8 laptops and computers that allow you to convert a wired LAN connection into a shareable wireless hotspot in no time. The program is lightweight and free (ad-supported, though), and delivers literally a one-click action. Once installed, launch WiFi HotSpot Creator, provide a network SSID (should you desire to do so), a passkey, choose the network card that’s hosting your active internet connection (useful if you have more than one), and limit the maximum number of guest connections that this virtual router will allow. Afterwards, all you need to do is hit the Start button, and your hotspot is up and running, hassle-free!

The only downside of WiFi HotSpot Creator is the fact that it will only work with wired LAN connections, and if you’re already on a Wi-Fi and want to share that, you’re out of luck. Which brings us to our second contender.

Connectify Hotspot
Far more powerful and feature-rich than the former option, Connectify Hotspot is tad more complex to set up, and comes in both free and paid flavors (the paid one sporting the entire feature-set, of course). First off, this utility lets you share any kind of internet connection that you may have running on your Windows 8 machine – LAN, Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, Mobile Internet, you name it – and beyond that, lets you control the devices that connect through this ad hoc virtual network. Then, you may use this tool to boost your home Wi-Fi signal, letting you reach even those farther corners where your router’s signal strength may otherwise falter.

This is very useful if your router doesn't have great distance for it's connection and want to offer the device you want internet access for to have the greatest and fastest internet speeds.